ShapeStealer
by Phoenix-Flame4
Summary: Featuring my two fav. characters: Sesshoumaru and Sango! Sess-sama's had his body stolen by a ghost seeking his lost love. Normal pairings. Genre's subject to change. (not real sure...)
1. Prologue: ShapeStealer

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yasha. Happy now?  
  
  
  
Prologue: Shape-Stealer  
  
  
  
Jaken, the little toad-like servant of Sesshoumaru, a great youkai lord, stumbled in the darkness, long since separated from his master. He sighed vexedly, feeling for a wall or something that might help to guide him in this labrynthine cavern. Somehow he had to find his way back to his lord, before Lord Sesshoumaru decided to leave him behind. He was surely going to be berated for this. His lord did not appreciate incompetent servants in the least.  
  
Jaken felt something smooth and cold and hard, like metal. He felt along this strange item until he found that it was set into the stone walls with a ring set into it, like a door. Perhaps even a door to the outside, or to somewhere with more light than this place. The strange youkai servant hastily scrambled to tug it open.  
  
The door resisted, years of rust and lack of use had set it in place as firmly as if nailed there. Frustrated, Jaken braced both feet against the wall and heaved. The hinges groaned and some dust motes broke free, but the door remained unmoved. Panting, Jaken dropped to the floor, his two- headed staff in one hand.  
  
"Ah, stupid door," he muttered. "Probably nothing useful behind it anyway." He pushed himself to his feet and turned to try and find another way out.  
  
Behind him, the old, rusted metal door made a harsh grating sound, then slowly swung open. Jaken swung around, staff held at the ready. Orange- yellow torchlight flared out at him, forcing the toad-like youkai to squint against its sudden brightness. He hesitantly stepped across the threshold.  
  
Within was a smooth, polished floor of fine white, blue-veined marble and expertly crafted stone walls carved with ancient geometrical signs and words in a forgotten language. Torches blazed in brass sconces set into the walls to illuminate a pedestal on the far end of the room atop a small dais. A red, velvet cushion sat atop the pedestal. All of this was as untouched by time as if it was made yesterday.  
  
But, by the door, that could not be.  
  
What a strange visitor, come to see me after so many years. echoed a foreign voice inside of Jaken's mind. He looked around, startled.  
  
"Wh-who's there? Show yourself!" Jaken called.  
  
Calm yourself, strange one. I mean you no harm. A form appeared upon the pedestal, slowly revealing itself like a ghost. It was five feet to the shoulders, and feline in general shape. However, it was like no cat or youkai Jaken had ever seen. It had gleaming white fur and silver-colored eyes. Massive black horns sprouted from the crown of its head and swept back along its sides to its hindquarters, easily six feet long. A slight mane grew on its chest and shoulders, silvery-white, flowing gently on a non-existent wind. Its tail was long and whip-like, with the under part armored in reptilian scales. Armor scales flowed down its forelegs and thighs.  
  
"Who and what are you?" Jaken demanded. He began to edge for the door. It slammed shut behind him with a loud crash, causing the torchlight to flicker and make the shadows dance. The creature had no shadow.  
  
You cannot leave just yet, friend. We have much to discuss.  
  
"I have nothing to discuss with you!" With that, Jaken brought forth his Staff of Two Heads and turned the old man head on the creature. The mouth opened and flames shot forth, enveloping the creature, dais, pedestal and all. Jaken smirked to himself.  
  
I do not appreciate such acts, friend. The voice sounded miffed, now. Jaken let the flames die and stared in astonishment. The pedestal was gone, having crumbled to dust with one touch of the flame. And yet, the white creature hovered above the floor, tail slowly lashing, silver eyes narrowed.  
  
A third eye opened, slitted vertically on the forehead of the creature, and it glowed with an eerie purple light that held the youkai servant in thrall. With a cry, the creature launched itself at Jaken. 


	2. Chapter One: Senna

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha. I wish I did, though.  
  
AN: I'm sorry to say, that Jaken will not be dying. At least, I haven't planned on it yet.  
  
Chapter One: Senna  
  
  
  
Rin had long since fallen asleep just outside of the cavern complex Sesshoumaru, the great dog youkai lord, had chosen to investigate for rumor of a monster within that might hold a shard of the Shikon no Tama. It had proven fruitless and the great youkai soon returned empty-handed and minus one servant. He stood in the clearing Rin occupied now, determined to leave at dawn, Jaken or no.  
  
He made a vexed sound deep in his throat and was on the verge of leaving anyway when a familiar, short, goggle-eyed form came ambling out of the cave mouth. He moved awkwardly, as if he were not used to his legs, and leaned heavily on his staff.  
  
"Jaken, what took you long?" Lord Sesshoumaru asked in his usual monotone.  
  
"Forgive me, my lord. I became lost within the caverns and had difficulty finding my way out again," he replied, eyes humbly downcast. His voice sounded different, without the typical quaver of fear to it.  
  
"Perhaps you have left with more than you went in with," Sesshoumaru growled, drawing his sword. Jaken's eyes slowly lifted up to the dog youkai's, showing a strange purple-ish gleam to them. "As I thought. You have been possessed." He raised his sword and dropped it for Jaken's skull, to cleave through it like paper.  
  
Jaken, or his body, pulled by the strings by whatever will within, brought the staff around and blocked the blow expertly. Jaken chuckled darkly.  
  
"I think not, Lord Sesshoumaru," he snarled in a strange, deep voice.  
  
"Who are you?" Sesshoumaru inquired guardedly, sword held ready for another strike. No ordinary being, youkai or otherwise, could just so casually negate his attack.  
  
"You'll learn all you need in due time," he said. His eyes flashed and then a force exited the body of the diminutive servant, coalescing above his now limp body that slumped to the ground. The shape was unidentafiable except for the colors white and silver and two silver eyes. Rin sat up, woken by the excitement. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" she wondered groggily.  
  
Then the purple, third eye popped open and the cloudy shape lurched forward, faster than even the great Sesshoumaru could react to. In the blink of an eye, the shape plunged into his body. He jerked and convulsed once, then went deathly still, eyes closed and head lowered. His sword drooped until the point touched the grass.  
  
Rin got to her feet and ran over to him, concern on her young features. She tugged anxiously on his sleeve. "Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama!"  
  
His golden eyes finally opened again, and regarded the girl in the same cold way the lord always did. But she could see that the youkai she knew wasn't looking through those orbs at her. Another consciousness was there instead.  
  
She stepped back, unsure if she should be afraid and run. The consciousness tugged Sesshoumaru's lips up in a friendly smile, a most unusual expression on that emotionless face.  
  
"Do not be afraid, Rin," he said, in Sesshoumaru's voice. She was astonished. This creature knew her name! "I know you because this youkai knows you, and I know what he knows, now. I have no intention of harming you or Jaken either one. I was once called Senna, but it's been a terribly long time since any have called me that. I must find her, my dearest Litara, and then I will leave."  
  
"Who. Who is this Litara?" she asked shyly. Senna looked off at the starry horizon, remembering something from long ago. Long before Rin, and perhaps even Sesshoumaru himself.  
  
"She is my one love. I failed to protect her, and died as a result. I must find her, and find some way to atone," he replied.  
  
Rin thought this was a very sweet idea, but did he have to have Sesshoumaru- sama's body to do this? She looked back, at Jaken, who was slowly struggling back to his feet. Should they go with them? She didn't want to leave.  
  
"Come. My home was to the west of here. I will start my search there. Jaken, come!" he called. Jaken looked confused, but hurried after the back of his lord. Rin followed, still mulling these difficult questions and feelings over in her mind. 


	3. Chapter Two: Bits of the Past

Disclaimer: You know the drill by now.  
  
AN: Thanks for the reviews! Glad ya'll like it! (Yes, I'm southern and I say 'ya'll' on a regular basis.) To answer a couple of questions, it could turn out to be Sesshoumaru x Sango, I'm not sure yet. And by normal pairings, I mean Kagome and Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku (at least to start off with), you know, like in the series. I'm doing my best to keep everyone in character, but let me know if I slip.  
  
Chapter Two: Bits of the Past  
  
  
  
Sesshoumaru, great youkai lord he was, waited in the back of his own head, watching as the ghost called Senna controlled his body. He learned much, and he waited for the right opportunity to wrest control of himself again with minimal damage to his body. He could carry on a conversation of sorts with the ghost, but he was quite introverted, unwilling to confide much to the rightful owner of the body he possessed. His actions said something of his personality, though.  
  
He was almost obsessed, it appeared, over this quest to find Litara. He spoke very little of her and his failing of her, and became quite fierce and touchy over the subject. Sesshoumaru gathered that at one point they might have been lovers, or he at least had had strong feelings for her.  
  
Although, if this woman was human or not, he had yet to determine.  
  
Senna seemed the respectable type, even to a youkai with as high standards as Sesshoumaru. He at least did no harm to Rin or Jaken, the thrice-damned servant that had brought this plague unto him. He (meaning Senna) was not pleased to inhabit a youkai, but it was better than a human, which tended to be weak and slow. Senna could probe Sesshoumaru's memories, but rarely did so, and then not to any real depth. He shared nothing in return for this.  
  
Now it was dark, the stars overhead, and Senna slept, but lightly, keeping a firm hold on the body. Sesshoumaru examined his grasp, then gave up. He contented himself to lightly slip close to the ghost's consciousness and peer in as he dreamed of the past.  
  
Senna slipped silently into the palace corridor, the hallway darkened except at the end, where a sliver of golden light poured out from a cracked doorway. His mistress was there, the Sorceress Litara. He padded into the room undetected and sat silently by the doorway, watching as the sorceress sprinkled a shimmering dust into a crystal bowl of water.  
  
"The perimeter is secure, my Lady," he said with a bob of the head, which served as a bow.  
  
"Thank you, my loyal Senna. I can always feel secure as long as you are around," the sorceress replied in her soft, gentle voice. She looked up from her scrying bowl and smiled at him. But her eyes were blurred, like a painting that had an angry hand swept across it before it dried.  
  
Senna stiffened and soon found himself elsewhere, crouched in the rafters of Litara's vaulted bedchamber. She slept soundly below him, a fragile human. He himself had once been a savager and devourer of humans, until she ensnared him with her craft and put him in her service. At first he had rebelled and riled against her, but now.  
  
-I no longer desire to be free. I have no more longing for the life I once knew.- This was a truly startling revelation for him.  
  
He knew was not like others on this world. He was not born of father and mother, like humans and youkai, but something else entirely. Nor was he dead, a spirit or wraith. He was unique in all the world and had no place. That was what drove him to this path.  
  
Without comment, he turned and left the rafters.  
  
And he was outside, in the valley by the sorceress's mountain palace, in the midst of a field of battle. Around him fought the men and creatures alike in service to the Lady Litara. And they died swiftly to the opposing forces, a relative horde of fell men, their souls sold over to a wicked lord, who hid his face behind a carved dragon mask.  
  
He raced for the leader, a veritable giant atop his warhorse in strange armor and mask. With a snarl, he leapt and tackled the man from his mount. The horse reared and pranced away, sensing the strangeness in Senna.  
  
"Fool hanyo," Senna growled, "I can see through your disguise." He raised one paw and dug claws into the wooden mask, then ripped it away. Grinning up at him was the human-ish face of a half-demon, fire in his eyes where pupils should be, hair bright red and sticking out in all directions.  
  
The fire hanyo chuckled and opened his mouth. A spout of flames fountained forth, scorching Senna's face and making him fall back. Senna cursed and pawed at his eyes. The hanyo regained his feet and loomed over the creature at his feet. He flicked his wrist and razor-sharp, wickedly curved blades slid from the wrist of his armor.  
  
"I will take your head for my castle, for it is most unusual, beast," he said smugly. Senna snarled again and opened his third eye, the great purple eye imbued to him by his creator.  
  
It's power held the hanyo in place, frozen and unable to move. His face contorted in rage, but there was nothing the half-breed could do.  
  
Senna never saw the man lurking behind him, bloody sword raised.  
  
Senna came to consciousness suddenly, and was not best pleased to Sesshoumaru there, watching him dream. He snarled mentally at the youkai.  
  
-What are you doing, dog?- he growled.  
  
-I am merely watching you dream. What do you have to hide? Such a noble creature, loyally fighting to the death for your master.- Sesshoumaru sneered at that.  
  
-I have nothing to hide, but some things I do not want to particularly share. Do not let me catch you watching while I rest, again, youkai.- Sesshoumaru merely smiled and returned to his spot, mulling over what the meaning was behind what he had just witnessed.  
  
  
  
AN: Is it just me, or does this seem short? Oh well. Inuyasha and the others show up in the next chapter! 


End file.
